Fixing Broken Children
by InTheCompanyOfDragons
Summary: This is the story of Caleb Reaves and Dean Winchester. Or the story of how a boy with demon blood helped fix the soul of a boy, and helped him find his voice. 5 year old Dean, 13 year old Caleb Brotherhood AU created by Ridley Supernatural created by Eric Kripke and co. Rated T: for some language Positive criticism welcome. Sequel Fixing Broken Men is now up!
1. Chapter 1

Fixing Broken Children

Caleb was happy to be back at the farm. He hadn't seen Pastor Jim since Mackland Ames had officially adopted him 6 months earlier, and he had wanted to see the man again. After all, he had helped Mac get him out of the mental hospital he was being held in, and had told him he was psychic. He had thought he had cause his grandmother's death when he had seen a vision of her dying, and now he realized he had just seen a death vision. Mackland was helping him work on his abilities, and they were getting better, and he was learning he could not stop the death visions, and he couldn't save everyone. When he arrived at the farm John Winchester was there. He was the new knight of the Brotherhood, and he had two young sons. Sam was a drooly one year old, and Dean was a five year old who didn't talk to anyone. He hadn't spoken a word since his mother was killed 6 months earlier. Caleb had only met them once before, and at thirteen wanted nothing to do with the two children, but there was something about Dean that haunted the teen. He knew the look in the child's eyes. He had seen too much, Caleb had that same look in his eye when he had watched his father kill his mother when he was six. He could see a broken soul looking back at him every time he made eye contact with the kid. Sometime Dean would sit quietly in the corner, staring into space, almost like he was some place else. The only person that seemed to break Dean out of his shell was Sammy. Whenever the baby cried, or whined Dean was instantly alert, and seemed to know exactly what Sam needed. Dean took better care of his brother then John ever did, the child was too old for his age.

"Caleb, it is good to see you again." John Winchester said. He held out his hand and Caleb shook it. He found the Knight to be a strong leader, and it intrigued Caleb.

"Good to see you too, Sir." Caleb replied.

"Caleb, my boy, I need to ask you a favour." Pastor Jim said walking into the kitchen with Sam in his arms.

"What's that Jim?"

"We seem to be having a bit of a space problem in this house, and Bobby is going to be here soon. I was hoping you wouldn't mind bunking with Dean and Samuel tonight." Caleb certainly did mind, he was not looking forward to sharing a room with a baby and a mute five year old for the next two weeks, but he wasn't about to tell the Guardian that.

"No problem, Pastor Jim."

"I have told you before Caleb, just call me Jim. My family doesn't call me pastor." Caleb shifted awkwardly, but didn't say anything. He wasn't quite used to this whole family thing yet. Dean walked in behind Pastor Jim and grabbed his father's pant leg. "Dean my boy, do you remember Caleb?" Dean nodded and then hid his face behind his father's leg.

"DE! Down!" Sam shrieked and began to squirm in Jim arms. Jim lowered him to the ground. He began to crawl over to his brother and Dean stepped out from behind his father and sat down on the ground so that the baby could crawl into his lap, and Dean wrapped his arms around the baby and smiled and playfully tickled his brother. John smiled sadly at his children, wishing he could see his oldest as happy as he used to be. What he would give to hear his voice again.

"I think it is time for bed boys." John said taking Sam from Dean's arms.

"I can take him if you want, Sir. I am bunking with them tonight anyway, and I didn't sleep on the flight, kinda tired myself." John seemed to think on that for a moment, before handing Caleb his son.

'Be careful with him, Dean go with them, and stop giving me that look son, Caleb isn't going to hurt Sam." Dean was staring at John hard like he had just betrayed him, but then looked away and followed Caleb up the stairs, never taking his eyes off of his brother. Caleb put Sam down in his crib and the baby's eyes begin to droop almost immediately. Caleb turned toward Dean; the boy was staring at him.

"I uh… am just gonna go get changed. I will be right back, okay?" Dean dropped his eyes, and turned towards his bag that was on the floor and began to pull out pajamas, so Caleb went into the bathroom and changed into his own clothes, and when he came back, he saw Dean quietly whispering to his baby brother. It was the first time he had seen the boy's lips move, but he couldn't make out what he was saying. When Dean noticed he was being watched he went silent again. "So Dean, do you want the top bunk, or the bottom bunk?" Dean didn't answer, he just went straight to the bottom bunk, guess Caleb had his answer. Caleb climbed the ladder of the bed and settled in. He didn't know how long he had been asleep when he heard the whimpering from below him. It started out quiet but then it started to get louder, so he climbed down the ladder. Dean was tossing and turning, and there were tears leaking out from under his eyelids.

"Dean? Wake up." The boy just kept gasping for air, but he didn't wake up. Caleb put his arm on the boys shoulder, and was sucked into the boy's horrific nightmares. Caleb saw fire, and a women burning on the ceiling. He knew it was Dean's mom. Caleb could feel the boys panic. "DEAN!" Dean's eyes sprang open and he began to scratch manically at his arms, struggling to breathe. "Jesus, take a deep breath." Caleb looked down at the boy's arms and saw that Dean was bleeding from the scratches on his arms. "Dean stop! Please." He grabbed the boy's wrists and dragged them to the ground, and Dean continued to fight him and panic, Caleb could feel the blood on his hands from Dean's arms.

_"Caleb please let me go!" _Caleb heard the voice clear as day, and he let go of Dean. Dean crawled to the wall and curled into a small ball.

"Did… did you just tell me to let you go?" Dean stared up at the boy with a look of shock.

_"You can hear me?" _Caleb was shocked, Dean was talking, he was thinking at him.

"Yeah I can hear you. You are bleeding kid, let me take a look?" Dean nodded and scooted close enough to Caleb so that he could look at his arms.

"_Did you see it?"_

"See what?"

_"The fire."_ Caleb didn't answer, the boy didn't need to know.

"Will you be okay for a second. I want to go get your dad to bandage these up." Dean nodded again and crawled up onto the bed. Caleb went downstairs and knocked on John Winchester's door.

"What's going on kid?" John said tiredly.

"Dean had a nightmare, and he scratched his arms up pretty bad."

"What?"

"He woke up having a panic attack and started scratching at his arms, I stopped him, but he is bleeding, I told him I was going to come get you."

"Jesus Christ okay." John walked out of his room and Caleb grabbed him by the arm.

"I saw it. The fire, your… your wife burning. Dean saw it too. That is what he is having nightmares about."

"You saw it? How is that possible?"

"I don't know, I touched his shoulder to wake him up and I got sucked into the nightmare. He asked me if I saw the fire, I didn't say anything though."

"Wait, Dean talked to you?"

"Not exactly, he was more like… thinking at me. I will have to talk to Mac, figure out how that is possible."

"Okay, kid. Come on I am gonna need your help." John grabbed the first aid kit from the kitchen and went up the stairs. Caleb followed and stood in the doorway of the bedroom and John wrapped up Dean's arms. Dean didn't even make eye contact with his father. "We will talk to Mac tomorrow Caleb, for now just get some sleep." John patted the boy on the shoulder, and went back to his room. Caleb sat down next to Dean and rubbed a hand over his face.

"Dean?" The boy didn't make eye contact, but turned his head enough toward Caleb so that the teen knew he was listening. "I am gonna tell you something that I have never told anyone before. I mean, Mac knows what happened, but we have never talked about it. Mac isn't my real Dad you know; he adopted me almost a year ago. When I was younger, I lived with real mom and dad, and when I was six I watched them die." Dean looked at Caleb now. "I understand why you aren't talking kid, because it hurts too bad. I didn't feel like talking either, but you can talk to me if you want. Or you know, think at me if you don't want to talk." Caleb smiled, and lifted an old copy of the Three Musketeers out of his bag, and pulled out a two of spades out of the book. "This is a deuce card, and it is very special to me. My dad gave it to me before he died. I have a feeling you and me are going to be in each other's lives for a long time, and you are going to be special to me. So I am going to call you Deuce from now on, okay?" For the first time, he saw a genuine smile grace the small boys face.

_"I like that name Caleb, but I can't talk." _Caleb smiled.

"You talk to Sammy, I saw you."

_"Sammy needs stories, and Daddy doesn't tell stories anymore, but I like my quiet place. Things hurt less there."_

"Okay Deuce. Just promise me something? Don't get lost in your quiet place. I like hearing your voice, even if it is only in my head."

"_I get lost sometimes, but Sammy brings me back." _Caleb suddenly understood why Dean looked so spaced out sometimes. He really wasn't here with them, but Sammy's cries always broke him out of that fog.

"What's in your quiet place, Deuce?" Dean's eyes filled with tears.

"_Sammy and Daddy, and… mommy. It's warm there, and it doesn't hurt so much."_

"I'm sorry that it hurts Deuce."

"_It hurts so bad it hurts to breathe… will that ever go away?" _Caleb sighed.

"It will never go away Deuce, but I promise it will get better someday, and now you can talk to me, and some day when you feel like talking again, you have people here who will listen, People who consider you family. Now I want you to go to sleep." Caleb went to stand up, and felt a hand reach out and grab his shirt.

"_Can you stay with me? Sometimes it keeps the monsters away." _

"Sure, Deuce. Just don't tell anyone I did anything so girly okay?" The small boy laughed and scooted over. Caleb lay down on the bed, and watched Sammy's breathing, how the Runt managed to sleep through all this was he would never understand. He felt Dean move closer to him, and Caleb put his arm around the boy's shoulders. Within minutes, they were asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Caleb woke up the next morning to the sound of Sam crying, he groaned and rolled over toward the babies crib, and saw that the crib was empty. Caleb looked around the room in confusion and then saw Dean holding his brother and rocking back and forth in the chair in the corner. Caleb sat up and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Dean lifted his eyes from his crying brother and smiled at Caleb.

"I didn't even hear you wake up." Caleb said to the child. "Do you need any help?"

_"Can you still hear me?"_

"Yep. It takes some focusing, but I can hear you."

_"Sam needs his diaper changed. I need his diaper bag from Daddy."_

"Alright, I will go get your Dad. I will be right back." Dean nodded and looked back towards his brother, and Caleb saw Dean whispering into his little brother's ear as he shut the door. Caleb walked into the kitchen and saw Mac and John drinking coffee, the two men turned toward him.

"Good morning, son." Mackland said.

"Good morning Dad." Caleb replied and then turned towards John. "Dean asked me to come get Sam's diaper bag, do you know where it is?"

"Yeah, hang on a second I will grab it from my room." John left and Caleb was left squirming under Mac's stare.

"John told me what happened last night, did Dean really talk to you?"

"He didn't talk to me, I could just here what he was thinking in his head."

"But, he actually held a conversation with you?"

"Yeah. He is in there Dad. He just says he likes his quiet place, and that it hurts too much to talk."

"It hurts? Like physically hurts?" Mac looked concerned and Caleb shook his head in frustration.

"No Dad, I mean like it hurts him, deep down in his soul." Caleb looked up into his father's eyes and delved into his past.

"When you see someone you loved killed in front of you in a violent way, it hurts so bad you do not know how to deal with it. Children aren't supposed to have to deal with things like this. I remember after my parents died, I didn't want to talk either. You don't understand until it is you, and until you do, you can't help him." Mac looked into his son's eyes, and saw the pain Caleb hid behind anger and bad behavior.

"Look Caleb, I am glad that he is at least communicating with someone. But I do not want you taking on Dean as your responsibility. You are just a kid."

"No Dad, I am not. My childhood ended when my family died around me and I started seeing death visions. Deuce can be saved dad. He is in there. Just give him a chance and he can be a kid again."

"Okay son, but I want to give him a different communication method too. Hopefully he will began to communicate with his dad and the rest of us. Maybe sign language or something." Caleb agreed and John walked back into the kitchen and handed Caleb the diaper bag.

"Take this up with you, I will come up in a minute to deal with Sammy." Caleb frowned, he didn't like when John made the kids sound like a burden.

"It's okay Sir, I can deal with it." John looked at the teenager and grinned with amusement.

"You want to change the diapers of a crying baby?"

"I don't mind. I kinda like having them around. Nice not to be the youngest all of the time."

"I will have to remember that next time I need a babysitter."

"I've got to be better then leaving them alone." Caleb turned and went up the stairs knowing he had probably over stepped his boundaries, but since the night before he felt this longing. Feeling like these kids were his family, and his protective nature was beginning to go into overdrive. Dean had Sam lying on the bed when he came into the room. "Do you want to change him, or do want me to do it?" Dean grinned at Caleb.

_"You want to change Sam?"_

"Well it's not like I want to, but I will if you want me too… your dad basically just told me I was his new nanny anyway, might as well get some practice."

"_You can help, but I don't think you are ready to be anything but the assistant yet."_

"Oh, so now you think you are funny Deuce? Just change your brother." Dean laughed and began to change Sam. Caleb sat back and gave him everything he asked for and then Dean put Sam in Caleb's arms.

"_Can you carry him downstairs? I don't want to drop him, but he needs to eat something."_

"Of course kiddo, lets go, your dad and my dad are hanging out in the kitchen anyway." Sam hit Caleb playfully on the nose and laughed, Caleb liked Dean, and he could probably learn to like this kid once he was out of the drooly diaper wearing faze. They walked down the stairs and Caleb placed Sammy in his high chair.

"Good morning Ace." John said to Dean, and he waved back at his father before returning his attention to Sam. John put some strawberries in front of Sam and the baby made a pouty face at his father. "C'mon Sammy, eat your breakfast." Sam shook his head and pushed the fruit away from him.

"NO!" Sam shrieked. "RIOS! " John looked at his youngest confused.

"I don't know what you want Sammy."

"RIOS, RIOS, RIOS!" Caleb felt a tug on his shirt and looked at Dean.

"_He wants Cheerios, tell dad he wants Cheerios." _Caleb nodded at the younger boy.

"John?"

"What is it Caleb?"

"Dean says Sam wants Cheerios." John looked at Caleb and then at his oldest son.

"Sammy, wants cheerios Dean?" Dean nodded at his father. John sighed wishing he didn't need a middleman to communicate with his son. "Thank you Dean." Dean nodded and smiled at his father and then up at Caleb. Mackland cleared his throat from behind them and then sat down across from his son and Dean.

"Dean I understand that you don't want to talk anymore, but can I ask you a question?" Dean hesitated but then nodded his head.

"I am glad that you can talk to Caleb, but if I could teach you a way to talk to your dad, and maybe to me and Jim, would you let me do that?" Dean frowned and then looked over to Caleb .

"_What does he mean Caleb?" _

"He wants to know what you mean Dad." Caleb said to Mackland.

'I mean if I can teach you sign language, will you be willing to do that?"

"_You aren't going to force me to talk?" _Caleb repeated.

"I believe that eventually everything that has happened will hurt less, and you are going to want to speak again, but until that time comes, Caleb can't always be around, so I want you to be able to talk to someone, in someway. So what do you think, do you want to give it a try." Dean seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, but then nodded his head.

"I am proud of you Deuce." Dean smiled when he heard his nickname again.

"Go upstairs and get changed Dean, then we will make some pancakes." Dean went upstairs and John turned towards Caleb.

"Why are you calling him Deuce all of the sudden?" Caleb looked up at John and smiled.

"I told him that was his nickname. That kid is a wild card, he is special, and someday soon, he is gonna start talking again and surprise us all."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

John was definitely serious about Caleb being his new babysitter, because the next time he was in New York with the boys, he asked Mackland if Caleb would be willing to stay at the motel with Sam and Dean. Mackland was hesitant to agree, but Caleb said he didn't mind, it had been a month since he had seen Dean, and he was looking forward to seeing how Dean was progressing. They drove up to a run down motel that the Winchesters were calling home for the next week. Mackland grimaced and Caleb just smiled.

"You grew up too privileged Dad." Caleb said. "It may not be the Hilton, but I have seen worse."

"Yeah yeah, my boy the hardened street kid." Mackland smiled, and they both got out of the car, and knocked on the door. John opened the door, Sam was in his high chair, and Dean was sitting on the bed farthest from the door.

"Thanks for coming Caleb, I didn't want to leave the boys alone if didn't have too."

"It's fine Sir, honestly Dean doesn't really let me do much, I am just supervision." John smiled at that.

Hello Dean." Mackland said. "How are you?" Dean signed his reponse back to Mackland. It was broken English at best, but at least it was a reply. He said hello and said he was fine, then walked over to Sammy. He was obviously done talking.

"He seems to be getting better with that." Mackland said.

"Yeah, he is definitely trying. I will take what I can get." John replied. "I'll walk you out. I'll see you boys in a week. Caleb have fun." Mackland and John walked out of the motel room.

"I thought they would never leave." Caleb said, Dean let out a giggle, and gave the teenager a hug, Caleb felt awkward, but he figured Dean didn't get affection very often so he hugged the young boy back. "How have you been Dean?"

"_Fine. I just wish Daddy would leave me alone. I don't like sign language, I just want to stay in my quiet place."_

"He is just trying to help, you can't stay in your quiet place forever Deuce. I mean, someday Sammy is going to be old enough to want to talk to his big brother." Dean thought on that for a minute, and then looked up at Caleb.

"_I want to talk Caleb, I really do. I just… I don't know if I can anymore."_

"You can, I know you can. I've seen you talk to the Runt. So I know you can talk."

"_That's different, he's Sammy, and he doesn't know the difference. He can't make fun of me, if I can't do it, or anything. Daddy wants me to be normal, and I don't know if I can be normal. Why aren't I good enough?"_ Dean began to scratch at his arms again, like he did when he was anxious, or when he woke up from a nightmare. Caleb stopped his hands.

"Don't do that, you are okay, do not have a panic attack on me." Dean's breathing slowed and he sat on his hands. "Look Deuce, I understand that you are scared, and I get that you don't want to talk to your dad yet, but you can try talking to me if you want. I mean we basically talk anyway; it isn't that much different, it will just be easier on my head." Caleb smiled down at the child sitting next to him. Dean just sighed.

_"If I talk to you everyone is gonna expect me to do it all the time."_

"What if I told you, I wouldn't tell anyone you talked to me?" Dean looked up at Caleb curiously. "I understand you don't want to talk to them, they are being jackasses. They don't know anything about what you have went through. You need time, I get that, but you got to start somewhere. You talk to Sammy, so he has stories, now you can talk to me if you want. Tell me whatever you want." Dean looked up into Caleb's eyes, looking for some truth in the boy's smile. He didn't trust people easily.

_"I'll think about it, Sam needs dinner." _The conversation was clearly over for the moment, but Caleb felt like he had at least left the thought in Dean's mind. That was enough for now.

"Alright, what does he eat?"

_"I still feed him baby food at night most of the time. He likes the chicken and rice one."_

"Okay, how about you feed your brother, and I make some Mac and cheese for us. What do you think?" Dean nodded and grabbed a spoon and the food out of the fridge_._

_ "Can you open this for me?" _Caleb opened the bottle and handed it back to Dean. He crawled up on the chair next to his brother and offered his brother a spoonful of food. Sam smiled at Dean, and took the food.

"De!" Sam yelled. "Yum!" It amazed Caleb how much Sam loved his brother. Caleb had never had any siblings, so he didn't understand the bond. Dean was a whole other way with Sam. He never went to his quiet place when he was with Sam. His entire world revolved around his brother. When Sam was done eating, Dean lifted him from the high chair and placed him on the floor to crawl around.

"Isn't the floor of a motel a little dirty for a baby to crawl around on?" Caleb asked.

_"Where else would he crawl around? He needs exercise. He can stand up by himself now, he will be walking soon."_

"I'll take your word for it, come eat." Dean stood and sat at the table next to Caleb, but still kept his chair turned so that he could see Sam wherever he went in the room. Caleb knew that Dean trusted him, but Sam was his responsibility, and no matter how much trust he bestowed on someone else, he would never trust them completely with his little brother. Dean and Caleb watched TV for few hours until Sammy started to yawn, and then Dean picked him up and placed him on the bed beside him.

"Shouldn't he be sleeping in a crib or something?" Caleb asked. Dean looked over at him with a frown.

_"We live in motels and our car, where do you think we would keep a crib? He only sleeps in a crib at Pastor Jims."_ Caleb nodded at went back to watching TV. Dean had placed Sam near the center of the bed so he wouldn't fall off either side, and then lay down beside him closest to the bed Caleb was laying on. He began his quiet whispering into his brother's ear. Caleb watched out of the corner of his eye, and wondered what Dean said to his brother at night. It was weird to him that he could see Dean's lips moving, but his voice was so quiet Caleb couldn't here what he was saying. All he knew, what that it was the only time Sam was completely calm. He lay on the bed beside his brother, listening to his voice until he drifted off to sleep. Once Sam's eyes were closed, Dean turned back toward the TV, moving over to the edge of the bed so Sam had room.

"How do you do that?" Caleb whispered. "The few times I have tried to get him to go to sleep, I just manage to rile him up even more." Dean shrugged.

_"That happens when Daddy puts him to bed too. He says I am naturally calming to Sammy. I think that is why he just leaves Sam to me now."_

"You are too grown up for your age, kid."

_"I'm not a kid."_ Caleb's heart dropped at that. He knew most kid's said stuff like that, but Deuce wasn't most kids. He was so close to losing his childhood and that scared Caleb more then he would admit.

"You shouldn't be so eager to grow up Deuce, enjoy being a kid." Dean smiled.

_"I'll try, but right now, I just want Sammy to be able to enjoy being a kid." _Caleb sighed, that kid had too much weight on his shoulders. Dean's eyes were beginning to droop.

"Deuce?" Dean's eyes snapped open and focused on Caleb. "Why don't you come lay down in this bed. You need a decent night sleep." Dean shook his head.

_"I can't, Sam might need something."_

"I promise I will wake you up if Sam wakes up, I won't be going to sleep anytime soon anyway. It is still pretty early for me. I promise I will move you back before I go to sleep."

_"Only if you move over to that side of the bed. I want to be close to him."_

"Fine, just get some sleep." Dean nodded and Caleb shifted over so Dean could crawl in next to him, he probably could have moved to the other bed next to Sam, but Caleb thought Dean would probably take offence to that. Everything was fine for the first few hours and then Caleb felt Dean shift beside him, then let out a whimper. Dean began to toss and turn and he kicked the blankets off of him.

"De?" Sam said sleepily as he opened his eyes.

"Stay there Sammy." Sam seemed to understand what Caleb had said but since he wasn't sure he positioned himself between the beds.

"Dean, wake up!" Caleb's order shook the boy awake and he sat up with a start. He was breathing heavily and digging his nails into his arms, and they were starting to bleed. Caleb grabbed the boy's arms and pulled him into his chest. "Please Deuce stop it." Dean stopped struggling, and pulled gently against Caleb's grasp. He looked up into Caleb's eyes. Dean took a deep breath and then opened his mouth.

"I just want the fire to go away." Dean said. It was gravelly, because he hadn't used his voice in almost a year. Caleb teared up at the boy's voice.

"I know Deuce. Someday it will." Dean whimpered and leaned into Caleb's chest.

"I don't want to be afraid anymore." Dean said quietly. Caleb held the boy tighter, no longer embarrassed by the thought of consoling the small child.

"It's okay to be afraid Dean, I'll protect you, and I will protect Sammy too." Caleb looked over at the baby who had fallen back asleep. In that moment, Caleb had no idea how true that last statement really was.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Caleb woke up with Dean attached to his side like a barnacle, and Sam attached to Dean. How they had all ended up in one bed, Caleb had no idea. Sam's eyes were open and the little boy was staring directly at him as if asking for permission to get up. What kind of baby waits to get up? Shouldn't he be crying or something? Caleb quietly moved from the bed so that he wouldn't wake up Dean, and walked around to the other side of the bed, he shushed Sammy, and picked him up and brought him into the bathroom that way he could give him a bath and change him. He left the door open a little bit that way Dean would know where they were if he woke up. Sam splashed happily in the tub and threw water at Caleb wetting his hair and t-shirt. Caleb groaned.

"You know kiddo, someday you are going to be old enough to discipline, and I will take full advantage of that opportunity." Sam just smiled up at the teen, and Caleb sighed. Sam had no idea how sad his life already was. Sam didn't know he was supposed to have a mom, or that his brother was supposed to talk. He didn't know his Dad hunted monsters. Caleb hoped Dean would still get to be a kid, but he knew Sam was the only one with a real chance. Caleb lifted Sam out of the water and wrapped a towel around him to dry him off; Sam put his hands on either side of Caleb's face and touched his forehead to Caleb's. They stayed like that for a minute, until the bathroom door squeaked and Caleb turned to see Dean smirking at them.

"DE!" Sam screamed, and began to squirm, Caleb sat down on the ground with the baby and when Dean sat down next to him, he handed Dean his little brother.

_"He likes you, he trusts you."_

"What makes you say that? I feed him and change him, I think he likes anyone who does that." Caleb said.

_"That thing he does, putting his forehead against yours, I have never seen him to that with anyone else but me. He likes you, a lot." _Caleb smirked.

"I am sure he won't like me once he really gets to know me."

_"I like you."_

"You barely know me Deuce."

"_I know enough. I know you lost your family, and that Mackland adopted you. I know you secretly love me and Sammy."_ Caleb groaned at that revelation but didn't deny it. _"I know you think you are evil that you have evil inside of you." _Caleb frowned at the young boy but Dean continued. _"But I know one thing you don't Caleb. I have seen evil. Evil took my Mommy away from us. You aren't evil. You are the only friend I have." _Caleb's eyes shone with tears that he didn't let fall and he rubbed his eyes. They didn't say anything as Dean changed Sam and brought him back into the main room. Caleb stood up and followed them out.

"Hey Deuce?" Dean turned back towards Caleb. "You are probably my only friend too." Dean smiled at his friend and then looked like he was concentrating hard. He took a deep breath.

"Thanks Caleb." Dean said quietly and then smiled up at his friend. Caleb smirked.

"That's good Deuce, it's a start. I am a good person to practice on." Dean nodded and put his brother down on the floor and walked back over to Caleb.

"Breakfast?" Dean said.

"What do you guys have around here?"

"Lucky Charms. Sammy's favourite." Caleb nodded and pulled out some bowls and poured some cereal into them, he put milk in his and Dean's and put the dry cereal on the table, then after Sam was strapped in his high chair, he put the bowl in front of him. They ate breakfast in silence, and Dean seemed to be growing increasingly agitated.

"Deuce, are you okay?" Dean nodded but didn't make eye contact. "Just because you are talking now, doesn't mean you can't still talk to me in my head. I know you don't want to talk all the time, especially around the adults."

"_Really? You don't mind?" _

"Nope, this is just a start Dean, I don't expect you to be saying speeches and stuff. Take your time."

_"Okay, I just like my quiet place sometimes. Voices are loud, my voice is very loud."_ Caleb didn't really know what he meant but he nodded anyway, sometimes what Dean said only made sense to Dean. Caleb looked over at Sam who was standing holding onto the bed, he let go with one hand and stared at the carpet with concentration.

"Dean? Look." Dean turned toward Sam, and his eyes went wide he slid off the chair and stood a few feet in front of his little brother.

"Sammy?" Dean whispered. Caleb stood and walked over to stand beside Dean. "C'mon Sammy, you can do it, I won't let you fall." Caleb smiled, there was Sam again bringing Dean out of his shell, making him speak the longest sentence he had spoken in very long time. Sam looked at his brother and let go of the bed, he stood there for a second on uneasy legs, before he smiled at his big brother, and stepped towards Dean with his arms open and Dean enveloped his brother into a hug. Dean's eyes filled with tears, and Caleb could help but wonder how John would feel about missing this key moment in his son's life. "Good job Sammy, I am so proud of you." Sammy put his forehead against Dean's, which made Caleb smile. The baby looked over at Caleb and began to squirm in Dean's arms; Dean put Sam on the ground and helped him walk over to the teen. Caleb crouched down in front of the baby and the child grabbed Caleb's face and put his forehead against his.

"Laleb." Sammy whispered, and poked Caleb in the nose with his pudgy finger. Dean laughed behind his brother, which made Caleb laugh too.

"Caleb." The teen said, sounding out his name for Sam. Sammy pouted and sat down in front of him.

"Laleb." He repeated. Caleb sighed.

"Close enough I guess, as long as you don't call me that when you are Dean's age." Sam crawled away off to do whatever it is babies do. Dean sighed looked at Caleb.

_"Hey you get Laleb, I get De, at least he knows who you are."_ Caleb looked at

Dean curiously.

"He is a smart kid, he knows who all of us are."

_"Does he? Sometimes I think he forgets who Dad is, He hasn't said Daddy or Dada or anything yet, he just stares at him." _Dean looked genuinely sad.

"You know Deuce, someday Sammy won't remember any of this."

_"I know, that is what is so scary. He won't remember Dad not being around now, but he will later, I just hope someday Dad will be around."_

"I am sure someday this will all be over Deuce." Dean nodded but said nothing else; he just crawled up on the bed and turned on the television. Caleb thought about what Dean was saying. John Winchester was doing all he could to avenge his wife's murder, while trying to raise two children. One already knew about the monsters that were hiding in the dark, that child was living in a world of silence he was only beginning to come out of. Then there was Sam, a happy baby who knew who his family was. He had his brother and Caleb, then Jim, Bobby and Mackland. Yet, it was becoming more and more often he looked at his father like a stranger. What would happen, as he got older? How long could they hide the truth from him and let him be a kid? He looked down at the baby who was smiling happily up at his brother on the bed. Sammy was going to ask questions someday, and what would they tell him? Caleb fell asleep to his thoughts about their futures. He was awoken when something hit him in the face. He heard Sam laughing.

"What are you two doing?" Caleb rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He looked down and realized he had Lucky Charms on his shirt.

_"Daddy always says you shouldn't sleep during the day, you will be awake all night. So Sammy decided to wake you up."_

"I am older then you, I can sleep when I want. And by throwing Lucky Charms at me?" Dean shrugged.

"_He's a baby, he doesn't know any better."_

"You're not a baby, why didn't you tell him not to?"

"_I was bored and it was funny." _Caleb snorted.

"Brat, what do you want to do?"

"_Nothing, but you can't sleep when we are bored."_

"Alright, alright, you guys hungry?" Dean nodded, Sam threw a handful of Lucky Charms at the ceiling, and so Caleb took the box and pushed it to the back of the counter. The next few days went by with relative ease. Dean had some nightmares, but he was talking with Caleb a little bit every day. Things seemed to be going well. All the boys were asleep when Caleb woke up when he saw a shadow walk by the window of the motel room, Caleb grabbed the hunting knife out of the drawer next to the bed and pulled it into his chest, when the door open he jumped up in front of Dean and Sam.

"Whoa! Calm down Caleb. It's me." Caleb saw that it was John Winchester, and calmed down.

"Sorry, sir. You are a day early."

"It's okay Caleb, you are protecting my boys, that's what I asked you to do." Caleb put the knife back in the drawer and John walked towards the bathroom. He looked over at the boys and noticed Dean was awake, he walked over and knelt beside the boy.

"It's just your Dad, Deuce. Go back to sleep. You and Sammy are safe." Dean nodded and closed his eyes again. Caleb went and sat at the table, watching the two children sleep.

"Go to sleep Caleb, I will call your dad in the morning, I am pretty sure he was going to head to the farm for the rest of the summer." John Winchester said.

"Aren't you tired Sir?"

"I can sleep on the floor Caleb, take the bed."

"You can take that bed, we have all been sleeping in the same bed anyway."

"Why would you choose to sleep in the same bed as a 5 year old and a 1 year old?"

"It makes Dean feel safe, he has less nightmares that way." John looked saddened but just nodded and looked away.

"Alright Caleb, I appreciate you watching them for the week."

"Anytime Sir." Caleb stood and made his way back to the bed but then paused and turned around. "Are you guys coming back to the farm for the rest of the summer?" John smirked at the teenager.

"Why? You afraid you are gonna miss them?"

"No of course not, I just figure they haven't been there in awhile and… you know…" John laughed as Caleb tripped over his sentences.

"You are a terrible liar, but yes they are, I was actually planning on staying close to the farm this year anyway, Dean has to start school and I need to have someone close to watch Sammy if I am ever away. Who better then Pastor Jim."

"I guess that's true, with any luck Jim will turn Sam into a choir boy."

"God, I hope not." Caleb laughed.

"Oh, sir?"

"Yes Caleb?"

"Sam took his first steps the other day." John looked up at the teen.

"Really?"

"Yeah, walked right into Dean's arms. Pretty soon he is going to be running around all over the place." John smirked.

"I will have to get you to babysit more often Caleb, have you chase Sammy around."

"I think I will leave that job to Deuce."

"Good call, Caleb."

"Oh yeah that's another thing, the Runt calls me Laleb now apparently, you need to work on his C's, I don't know how long I can put up with that."

"Better be careful what you wish for Caleb, I have a feeling that one day we are never going to be able to get that kid to be quiet."

"Oh, yeah he is gonna be a rebel."

"No, I think Dean is gonna be the rebel, Sammy is just gonna want to be exactly like his brother. So don't corrupt my children."

"I would never do that." John smirked knowingly.

"Sure you wouldn't, now go to sleep Caleb."

"Okay, see you in the morning."

"Good night Caleb." Caleb lay back down but didn't fall back asleep. He hadn't really though about Dean and school. Would that mean John would have to keep them in one place? The farm was a good place for Dean, it was safe, secure, and there were people he knows there. He hoped that over the next year, Dean would be able to find his voice.


	5. Chapter 5

Caleb and Mackland returned to New York City so they could pack up their belongings to take with them for the next three weeks. There were going to catch a flight to Minnesota the next day. It was times like this Caleb liked having a rich father. He couldn't imagine being in a car with a babbling baby and a sullen silent five year old. Caleb was in his room packing his duffel bag and reflecting on how lucky he was. When he was younger he got very used to being alone. His parents were killed by a demon, and his Grandmother followed them a few years later. Caleb became a ward of the state, and he was an angry sullen kid who did not know anything except violence and anger. By the age of twelve he had a lengthy criminal record and the courts were beginning to run out of places to send him. In his last foster home his life was changed forever. He had a vision that his foster parents were going to die, and he thought it was a nightmare, but then when they died the next night in the exact way he saw in the vision he was convinced that he had somehow cause their deaths, and he was sent to the psychiatric ward at the local hospital. It was there that he first met Pastor Jim and Mackland Ames. They convinced him that the visions and deaths were not his fault and that he couldn't save everybody. He was introduced to the world of the Brotherhood, and he began to understand his powers. It was slow going at first bit Caleb eventually began to feel at home with Mackland, and when he officially adopted Caleb, he began to cherish the idea of family again. Now Caleb was beginning to wonder how he became the lucky one. Caleb was startled by a knock on the door.

"Come in Dad." Caleb said returning to the task of stuffing as much clothing as he possibly could into his duffel bag. Mackland pushed the door to the bedroom open.

"You have been in here for a long time, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.' Caleb sighed.

"I'm fine, I'm just thinking." Mac frowned and sat down in the chair in the corner of the room. Caleb shifted uncomfortably, they were about to have a talk and he did not like to talk about his feelings.

"I can feel your discomfort son." Mac was also a psychic, and though his specialty wasn't reading minds Caleb and him always had a unique connection. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing really, just trying to figure out how I got so lucky." Mac smirked curiously at his son.

"Feeling optimistic today Caleb? After all that has happened in your life I would think you would consider yourself anything but lucky."

"Maybe not the beginning of my life, but I would say I am pretty lucky now After everything that happened I never thought I would have a family again. Maybe everything I went through were trials that would help me appreciate everything I have now." Caleb reddened, he thought he sounded like a girl, but Mack smiled.

"Well I am glad you feel like you have a family again Caleb, but I have to ask, what brought this on?" Caleb was silent. "Okay, so this is about Dean and Samuel."

"More Dean then Sam." Caleb replied. "He is starting to some out of his shell, but he has no stability and too much responsibility. I am scared for him, he shouldn't know the things he knows, he has such a heavy weight on his shoulders, but then I look at Sam and wonder if John lets him live out his childhood in peace and then tells him the truth later, is that and better? Giving the kid a false sense of security and then having that yanked out from under him?" Mackland stood to face his son.

"Caleb I do not know what the future holds for the Winchesters, but I do know that they will be okay."

"How do you know that Dad?"

"I just do, as long as you have each other you are all going to be okay." Mackland couldn't tell his son about the Triad's plans for the three of them, not yet.

"I hope so Dad." Mac smiled and began to walk towards the door. "Dad?" Caleb said.

"Yes, Caleb?"

"If I tell you something about Deuce is there like some patient-doctor confidentiality or something?"

"Well… technically no, he is a minor anything you tell me would have to be reported back to John." Caleb frowned but nodded; he needed to keep Dean's talking to himself for now. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

"No Dad, nothing. I was just wondering." Mac sighed, Caleb was clearly hiding something, but he let it slide for now.

"Alright Caleb, finish packing and get some rest, our flight is at 10:30 so I would like to be at the airport for 8:30." Caleb groaned at the early time, he was a teenager after all. "Hey I was going to book the 8:00AM flight so no complaining. Good night."

"Good night Dad."

They arrived at the farm before the Winchesters, which was not surprising, but they couldn't be very far behind. In the meantime it would give Caleb time to unpack and get settled in relative peace. Mac lifted their bags out of the back of the rental car and Pastor Jim walked out onto the front porch.

"Welcome back you two, John just called and said they should be here in the next four hours, but with the way he drives, probably less." Caleb smirked; it was definitely a commonly known fact that John Winchester drove like a maniac. "Why don't you go put your stuff upstairs then we can get some lunch made."

"If you don't mind Jim can I switch to the other spare room?" Caleb asked. Jim looked at the teen curiously.

"That's fine Caleb, but the other room is smaller and the other door opens up into Sam and Dean's room. Are you sure you want to be that close to them?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay go ahead." Caleb headed upstairs, he quickly grabbed his few possessions from the other bedroom before switching into his new room. He could keep the door that divided the two rooms open at night, that way he could hear Dean if he had a nightmare. Caleb couldn't always be around, but as long as they were staying in the same house he wanted to be as close to Dean as possible so he could help the young boy out. He decided he would unpack later, and went back down stairs. Mac and Jim were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and making sandwiches. Caleb took a seat next to his father and began to make his lunch.

"So Caleb how was the babysitting last week?" Jim asked. Caleb shrugged.

"It was fine, Sammy started walking."

"Really, well I am glad to hear that. He has always been a fast learner. And Dean? How was he?" Caleb thought about the question and still decided to leave out the part about Dean talking.

"He had some nightmares and scratched himself up a bit, but other then that is went pretty good. He is a pretty independent kid, he doesn't really let me do much."

"What about the sign language? How is that going?" Mac asked.

"He hates it. He doesn't use it much when I am around."

"He has to have some sort of communication outside of you Caleb." Mack said to his son.

"He'll walk soon just give him a chance."

"I know you hope that Caleb, but he may not."

"He will." Caleb replied sternly. "Just have some faith in the kid."

"I have lots of faith in Dean." Jim said. "But what makes you so sure Caleb?" Caleb sighed and gave them a half truth.

"He has told me that he wants to, he is just scared of not doing it right, or that you guys will make him talk all the time… and…"

"And what son?" Mack asked softly. Caleb looked at his Dad and the Pastor.

"He talked to Sammy."

"You've heard him talk to Sammy?" Jim asked.

"Well not heard exactly, he whispers in Sam's ear to put him to sleep. He is so quiet you can't hear him, but he is talking. Just give him a chance." Caleb was getting angry, he didn't like that they were treating Dean like he was broken, he wasn't broken, he just had a few cracks, and he would be fine. Caleb put his plate in the sink and retreated back up to his bedroom. He was throwing stuff into drawers and putting stuff on bookshelves. He grabbed a dictionary off the bed and turned to see Dean standing in the doorway holding Sammy. Caleb dropped the book on his foot and swore.

_"I didn't mean to scare you."_

"You didn't scare me Deuce, you just startled me a little." Dean smirked at Caleb.

_"Same thing."_

"Is not and I am not having this argument with a five year old."

_"Why did you switch into this room?"_

"No reason really, I just like this room better." Dean just nodded and walked into the bedroom, if he guessed the real reason behind the room switch he didn't let on.

_"Can you watch Sammy for a minute? I am gonna go back downstairs and get our bags." _

"Sure kid."

"Thanks." Dean said quietly. He put Sam down on the floor and the baby pulled himself up on the edge of the bed and waddled over to the teen.

"LALEB!" Sam screamed and grabbed onto the teens pant leg. Caleb bent down and picked the baby up off the ground. Sam put his forehead against Caleb's.

"Inside voice, Runt." Sam had no idea what Caleb was saying to him but he smiled anyway. He didn't care who was talking to him as long as someone was paying attention. Dean came back upstairs and Caleb helped him unpack all of his stuff. That was a rule at the farm. No matter how long you were staying, you unpacked. Nobody was living out of a suitcase when they were here. This was supposed to be home. After a late dinner John carried a grumpy yawning Sam upstairs with Dena in tow. Mac and Caleb were talking in Caleb room when the screaming started. A very haggard looking John came into Caleb's room and looked at the teen.

Any chance you know how to get Sam to stop doing that?" John asked. Caleb turned and saw Dean staring at the through the open doorway that divided the bedrooms. Caleb sighed and walked towards Dean. The two adults followed him, so he bent down and whispered quietly into Deans ear.

"I think Sammy needs a story." Dean looked from the Caleb to the two adults in the room and shook as head quickly. "It's okay Deuce, they won't be able to hear you, you whisper to quietly." Dean thought on that for a minute, and then looked back at Caleb.

_"Okay, but don't leave me alone with them."_

"I won't." Dean got up off the bed and ignored John's stare. He climbed into the crib beside Sam and Sam quieted instantly. Dean looked back at Caleb who gave a reassuring nod. Dean turned back towards his baby brother who was now laying down, Dean lay down beside Sam and began to quietly whisper into his ear. He listened to his big brother contently while the two adults in the room watched with shock on their faces. After ten minutes Sam was asleep and Caleb lifted Dean out of the crib, Dean ran over to the bed and covered his head with the blankets.

_"Please make them leave Caleb, tell them I am tired. Please."_ Caleb sighed and turned toward John.

"Deuce is tired, we should let him sleep." Caleb herded the adults back into his room and shut the door behind him.

"How did you know Dean would talk to Sam?" John asked.

"He did that all last week, it was the only thing that would put Sammy to sleep, everything I did riled him up." John looked truly puzzled.

"I have never seen him do that before."

"Maybe you just weren't looking hard enough." John looked at Caleb coldly and then walked out of the room. Pastor Jim smiled at Caleb.

"Good job my boy." He then followed John back downstairs. Caleb smiled to himself. Maybe now that the adults knew that Dean could talk, maybe that would help Deuce heal a little bit more. Sometimes all you need is a little faith.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Dean was quiet the next morning, he wasn't even talking to Caleb, he just sat in the corner of the living room staring at the wall and the adults in the room were starting to get worried. Dean was a quiet kid, but when he began to act like this, everyone worried that one day, he wouldn't come out of it. Caleb had tried to talk to the kid, but he was in a different place, and he wasn't hearing a word. Caleb knew nobody could get Dean out of this state so he went upstairs to wake up Sam and give him bath. He didn't mind watching Sam, and he knew that John was too concerned with Dean to deal with the baby at the moment, so Caleb picked Sam up and brought the yawning baby to the bathroom.

"I know you want to sleep Sam, but if you keep sleeping now, you won't sleep later, and you are going to annoy the hell out of me. You know how grumpy you get when you take a nap? I am the same way when whiny babies keep me up all night." Sam's answer was to stick his tongue out at the teenager, which made Caleb laugh. "You are one strange kid." Caleb ran the water and put Sam in the tub, being careful to hold him up and to keep the temperature just right.

"Laleb." Sam said, and then made some other noises that Caleb was pretty sure were supposed to be words, but he wasn't positive, he could speak to a silent Dean, but he definitely didn't speak baby.

"I don't know what you are saying Runt, but I need to ask you for a favour." Sam was watching Caleb carefully like he knew what Caleb was going to ask. "It's about Dean, you know your annoying older brother." Sam smiled.

"De!" Sam said.

"Yeah him, see I knew you were smart. Well, he isn't doing very good right now, and I am gonna need your help. He has gone to his quiet place again, and I know you don't like when he is there anymore then I do…" Caleb took the baby out of the tub and sat down on the floor with Sam wrapped in a towel. "Don't tell him I said anything, but I kinda love that kid, and I want him to get better, but I can't help him when he is like this, only you can." Sam placed his head against Caleb's and watched the teen. "When we go downstairs I need to you help pull him out of his quiet place, you think you can Sam, you think you can help your big brother?" Sam mumbled something incoherently, and Caleb sighed and placed him on the floor on a towel so he could put his diaper on him. Then there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Caleb yelled and picked Sam back up. Pastor Jim opened the door and peeked his head around the door. "Oh hey Jim, what's up?"

"Nothing I was just wondering what was taking you so long up here, then I noticed Sam wasn't in his crib anymore, so I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Yeah, everything's fine I was just giving Sam a bath before I brought him downstairs." Jim smiled.

"You know, you don't have to do stuff like that when John's here. You aren't responsible for them.

"John has enough to worry about right now, and yeah I feel responsible for them. I don't mind helping out. Just don't tell anyone else I said that." Jim laughed.

"Your secret is safe with me son. So are you coming downstairs anytime soon?"

"Yeah we will be down in a minute, I am just gonna get him some clothes, and then I am gonna change into something that isn't soaked in water."

"Alright." Jim walked back down the stairs and Caleb got Sam changed and put some on some jeans and a t-shirt. When he walked down the stairs he heard John talking to his Dad and Pastor Jim and he stood in the hallway to listen to the conversation.

"It's been a long time since he has been like this." John said watching his son. "He is practically catatonic." If Dean knew the adults were talking about him he didn't move a muscle in their direction.

"He has been like this before John, he always comes out of it." Jim said.

"Yeah I know Jim, but I am worried that one day he won't, I just don't want him to be like this all the time. I mean I will take him never saying another word again as long as he stops doing this."

"I think he is just ignoring us, maybe you two seeing him talk to Sammy last night, has made him uncomfortable." Mac said. Caleb felt anger welling up in him; Deuce was going to be fine, why didn't they believe that as much as Caleb did?

"He isn't ignoring us." Caleb said walking into the room with Sam in his arms. "He is in his quiet place, just leave him alone."

"Yes Caleb we know, but we don't even know what his quiet place is, or why he keeps going there."

"It's where he feels safe, where his mom is, before everything got destroyed. Sometimes he needs to pretend like nothing has happened, it makes him less afraid. Doesn't the kid deserve to feel safe every once in a while? He isn't ignoring us on purpose, he just gets lost in there sometimes, and can't find his way out by himself." John sighed, feeling like a moron for asking for so much advice from a teenaged boy, but Caleb seemed to know his sons better then he did most days.

"Do you know how to bring him out of it? Can you bring him out of it?"

"No I can't, none of us can." Caleb answered. He put Sam down on the floor, holding him up for a second while he got his balance on his pudgy legs. "Go see Dean Sammy, I think he needs his brother right now." Sam looked at the people in the room with a frown, and then smiled when he saw his brother sitting in the far corner in the living room. The baby waddled awkwardly into the living room, before falling down on his knees with a thud and crawling the rest of the way. He hadn't quite gotten ahold of the whole walking thing yet, but he was learning.

"Only Sam can bring him out of it."

"How do you know that Caleb." Mackland asked.

"Cause Deuce told me, he doesn't hear anything when he gets like this, he is a completely different place then us. He can't hear anything except for Sammy. I noticed before when Deuce would go to his quiet place, Sammy would cry or something and he would snap out of it. Just watch." The adults turned towards the living room and watched as their youngest sat down in front of his brother. Sam put his hands on Dean's face and looked into his eyes, smiling the entire time.

"De." The child said softly, like he knew that somehow his brother wasn't all right, it took a minute, but eventually Dean blinked and looked down at the baby and gave him a sad smile. Dean took a deep breath and put his hand on the side of Sam's chubby face.

"Hey Sammy." Dean said. John choked back some tears; it had been so long since he had heard his son's voice. In fact, it had been almost a year, and he couldn't imagine a more wonderful sound. Dean sounded pretty much the same, except for a slight strain on his voice from the months of silence. Dean pulled Sam into his lap, and the baby buried his face in his brother's neck. Dean ran his hand through Sam's soft hair, and sighed. Dean turned his head towards the kitchen and saw everyone watching him and tears began to run down his cheeks. His breath sped up in panic, had everyone just heard him? What should he do now? He looked towards Caleb looking for some kind of an answer and the teen gave him a quick smile.

_"They are gonna make me talk all the time aren't they?" _Caleb heard the soft, panicky voice in his head, and shook his head.

"No they won't Deuce, no one is going to make you do anything you don't want to do." If Caleb was anywhere else, that would have been awkward because it sounded like he was talking to himself, but everyone standing in the room knew he could talk to Dean in his head. Dean nodded, and his breathing slowed back to a normal pace. He then stood up carrying Sam with him and walked into the kitchen handing Sam back to Caleb, who gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and looked over at his Dad. He walked towards John and stood closely in front of him. John picked up his oldest son, and hugged him close, something he probably didn't do nearly as much as he should.

"Are you okay Dean?" Dean didn't want this anymore, he didn't want to be afraid, and more importantly he didn't want Sammy to grow up afraid. Dean sniffled, wiped some tears from his face, and looked his father in the eyes.

"Daddy, I am trying to brave." John let his walls fall for a minute, and let some tears slip from his eyes. He locked eyes with Caleb for a second, who gave him a smile that said he knew Dean was going to be all right.

"Dean, listen to me, you are the bravest kid I know." Dean smiled, and hugged his father tight.

"I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Dean." Caleb put Sam in John's other arm, and the other men in the room watched as a family, people that were their family, started to heal together, instead of healing on their own, and there wasn't a dry eye in the room.

Should this be the end of this story? Or would you like me to continue Dean's road to recovery, because obviously it can't end as easily as all of this.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Caleb was going to be going back to New York in 1 week. He really hated school, and he was going to be going to some snobby prep school next year, which he was not looking forward to at all. He couldn't wait to turn eighteen so he would be done with high school and he could hunt full time. Mackland said he would change his mind eventually, Caleb knew his Dad wanted him to go to college, but as far as he was concerned it just wasn't in the cards. The other reason he was dreading returning to New York was that meant he had to leave Dean here. Dean was beginning to talk more, he was still a quiet kid, but he would at least talk to his Dad and Caleb, and occasionally Pastor Jim and Mac. He was spending a lot less time in his quiet place lately, and he finally seemed happy. Currently he was chasing Sam around the kitchen. The kid didn't want to take a bath, and he was running as quickly as his chubby legs could carry him. Caleb decided to interfere before someone got hurt, and he scooped Sam up in his arms. Sam pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Laleb! Down!" Sam screamed.

"No can to kiddo, Deuce says it is bath time."

"No Baf!" Dean was standing in front of Caleb glaring at his brother.

"Thanks Caleb. I miss when he couldn't walk," Caleb laughed.

"The Runt has to grow up some time."

"Bad Laleb!" Sam yelled, and one of his flailing legs hit Caleb in the stomach. Caleb groaned.

"Although I am pretty sure his terrible two's are starting early… this kid is gonna be a handful." Dean laughed, and the two boys headed upstairs with the whining baby. Sam continued to fight until he was put in the tub.

"Sammy, stop it." Dean said, and Sam stared at his brother, but did as he was told.

"He is getting good at that."

"Getting good at what Caleb?"

"You know, that John Winchester stare." Dean laughed loudly, and Caleb smirked, he liked when he could get the kid to laugh. "Are you looking forward to school next week?" The smile disappeared from the kids face, and he looked up at Caleb.

"Not really…"

"Why not, school is supposed to fun."

"You hate school…"

"Yeah well, I am in high school, you aren't, school is supposed to be fun for elementary school kids." Dean sighed.

"I don't want to leave Sammy." Caleb nodded, Dean had been at Sam's almost constant vigil this past year, they were rarely apart, now he had to be away from him for six hours a day.

"Pastor Jim will be here when your Dad can't be, you trust them right?"

"Of course I do."

"Well then you know it will be okay."

"I know it will be, I mean it isn't just that. I am scared."

"Okay, what are you scared of?" Dean's eyes went to the floor.

"What if I get lost?"

"You won't get lost Deuce, the teachers won't let that happen."

"No Caleb, I mean, my quiet place." Caleb hadn't thought about it before, Dean had never gotten lost in his quiet place away from his family before, they had been able to protect him, but he had never spent any significant time away from them before, what would happen if that happened at school?

"I… I don't really know Deuce. I hope that won't happen… it hasn't really been happening that often lately anyway." Dean nodded and pulled Sam out of the tub and put on a fresh diaper.

"Are you going back to school soon?"

"Yeah Deuce, we are leaving next week."

"Will I see you again?" Caleb was shocked by the question.

"Of course you will Deuce, I will be back for Christmas break." Dean stared hard at the teenager.

"Do you promise?" Dean said suddenly.

"I promise Deuce." Dean just nodded, but didn't seem like he believed him, Caleb reached into the kids mind just enough to catch the "Don't leave me like Mom" thoughts that were passing through the kid's head. "I can't be here all the time, but your Dad had my number, you can always call me, and talk to me, and I will see you for 3 weeks at Christmas time. I promise Dean, I will not disappear on you." Caleb caught the boy's eyes. "I swear on my mother, I will not leave you." Tears formed in the Dean's eyes, and he hugged Caleb.

"Thank you." Dean whispered. Then let go and grabbed his brother and the three boys went back down the stairs. Jim, John and Mackland were sitting in the living room. Dean put Sam down on the carpet and walked over to his father.

"Hi Daddy."

"Hiya Dean, how are you today?"

"I'm fine." Dean crawled up on the couch and sat beside his dad, while Sam sat on the floor staring up at them. Sam had stopped going to see his father. When John would pick him up, he would laugh, but after a while he would begin to squirm so John would put him down and he would crawl over to Dean or Caleb. Caleb originally thought it was just because Sam had wanted to be with kids, but now it was beginning to seem like something else. Sam was smart, and had a wide vocabulary for 15 month old, but he had still yet to call his father Dad, or Daddy or anything. Caleb thought that was strange but it wasn't his place to bring it up. After a couple hours of talking, Dean's eyes began to droop and John picked him up and brought him upstairs, Caleb followed with Sam, and put Sam in his crib. He fell asleep all most instantly. Later that night when Caleb was in his bedroom reading a book, the screaming began. Caleb opened the door between his room and the boys and saw Dean thrashing violently under the covers, tears streaming down his face under closed eyelids. You would think Caleb would be used to the nightmares by now, but he never got used to seeing Dean so scared.

"Dean! Wake up, you are having a nightmare." Dean's eyes popped open and his breathing was fast and shallow. He gripped both his arms and began scratching at them furiously. "Deuce, please stop. It was just a dream it's over." Caleb attempted to restrain the child, but Dean was kicking out at him. Caleb brought the boy down to the floor so he wouldn't go tumbling off the bed. He turned and saw John Winchester standing at the door.

"Nightmare?" John asked.

"Yeah, a bad one, he won't stop." Dean was fighting hard against Caleb, something he rarely did, he was usually quite comfortable in Caleb's arms. John Winchester grabbed Dean's hands and got him to release the hold on his scratched up skin.

"You talk to him Caleb, we need to get him out of this nightmare, and if it is the flashback I think it is, I was there, hearing my voice isn't gonna help." Caleb nodded.

"Dean, it's okay, come back to us." Caleb said, he was running his hand through the boys hair, in a soothing motion. He whispered calm words into Dean's ear until he stopped fighting. "Can you hear me Dean?" Dean nodded his head. "Okay, I need you to calm down okay, you can breathe, just deep breaths." After awhile the kid went limp in Caleb's arms. John let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Can you hold him when I bandage these up?" John asked.

"Of course." Caleb held Dean tight while his Dad bandaged the fresh wounds, and then they put the five year old back into bed.

"Everything gonna be okay, if I go back downstairs?" John asked.

"Yeah should be fine, doesn't usually happen more then once." Caleb had been through enough of these to know that. He was the best person to watch over Dean after these attacks. After John left Caleb returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed next to Dean. "Dean? Are you okay?" He heard no response. "I know you are awake Deuce… you don't have to talk to me, just let me know you are alright."

"_I'm fine." _Caleb heard in his head.

"Okay, go back to sleep." Caleb went to stand up and felt a grip on his shirt, and then saw the bright green eyes peering out from under the covers.

"_I don't want to go back to sleep, please stay with me." _

"Okay, kid I will stay with you tonight.

"_Thank you."_

"Are you gonna play your quiet game tonight?" Dean nodded. "Okay, just remember, if I fall asleep, you gotta shake me awake, I can't hear you when I am sleeping." Dean nodded again. Caleb leaned against the headboard and sighed, Dean had to get some sleep.

"Once upon a time… " Caleb began. Dean gave him a weird look. "Just listen to the story Deuce. Once open a time, there were two brothers named Sam and Dean and they came from a land far away called Kansas. At one time, Kansas had been home to the two brothers, their father, and their mother." Dean stiffened, but seemed to be paying attention. "One day a monster attacked the brothers home, and stole away their loving mother. The monster attempted to take the youngest brother, but thanks to the courage of Dean, Sam was rescued from the flames, but at a great cost, the older brother lost his voice and had no idea how to get it back. Their father brought his sons to safety at a farm in Minnesota, a farm protected from the evils of the world. At this farm was another boy by the name of Caleb, and the silent boy and his baby brother originally bothered Caleb, but as the days went by, he discovered that these children were meant to be part of his life. You see Caleb had his own story, his life had been touched by evil as well, and he often feared that he himself was as evil as the monsters around him. He spent his days with the two younger kids and discovered something. Dean still had a voice, he just needed help in finding it again, and Caleb was prepared to help. Dean had saved Caleb, he had taught Caleb that he wasn't evil, and that he deserved to be loved and cared for, and Caleb was determined to help Dean see that the world would not always seem so dark. He would fight whatever got in the way to help Dean get his voice back no matter how long it took, and he promised he would protect Sam and Dean from whatever dangers lay ahead." Caleb stopped talking. "Sorry Dean, guess I am not very good at stories. Dean smiled.

"_You are supposed to finish the story by saying The End."_

"Not this story." Dean looked at Caleb curiously.

"_Why not?"_

"Cause the end of this story hasn't happened yet, we will have to see where it goes."

"_How do you think it ends?"_

"Well Deuce, that's the fun in this story, even though the beginning is sad, we get to create our ending."

"_I hope so Caleb."_ Aftera few minutes, Dean was asleep on Caleb's chest, and the teenagers didn't have the heart to move him, and after awhile, he fell asleep too.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Caleb was glad it was finally Christmas break, the last 4 months had gone by ridiculously slow and he couldn't wait to get back to the farm so he could see Dean. He had talked to the kid a few times on the phone but it wasn't the same as being there with him, and then there was Sam, he would be two in May, and he was growing like a weed. The only thing Caleb wasn't excited for was the cold rural Minnesota winter, he lived in New York City, sure it got cold but at least the streets got plowed so there was never really much snow on the ground. There was always a ton of snow at the farm; he didn't know how Jim did it. Caleb and Mackland landed at 1:30 and were at the farm by the 3:00. Caleb was grabbing the bags out of the trunk, when he looked into the kitchen window and saw Dean. Dean smiled brightly and waved at his friend, and Caleb waved back, the kid looked well. Caleb made his way up the steps and dropped his stuff in the kitchen as Dean hopped down off the chair he was using to look out the window and ran over to give Caleb a hug.

"Hey kiddo." Caleb said.

"Hi Caleb." Dean said quietly. Mackland walked in behind them and wiped the snow from his coat.

"Hello Dean, how have you been?"

"Hi, Mac. I'm good." Dean was half hidden behind Caleb's legs, but Mackland said nothing about it, any day Dean talked was a good day, no matter how shy he was. Sam came running into the room at full speed and jumped and Caleb who caught him with one arm.

"Laleb!" Sam yelled. Dean winced at the loudness of his brother's voice.

"Indoor voice Sammy." Dean whispered.

"Hey Runt, how have you been?"

"Sam good." In four months Sam's vocabulary had gotten better, yet he still couldn't pronounce Caleb's name.

"Sammy?" John called from the other room. "Come back here, it is time for your nap. Sam crossed his arms across his chest and pouted.

"NO!" John walked into the kitchen grumbling.

"Hey Caleb, Mac, good to see you."

"John, I didn't know if you would be here." Mackland said with some sarcasm to his voice, John was never around, he left his kids with Jim for the most part. John gave Mac a cold look but said nothing.

"Sam? It's time to go sleep."

"NO SLEEP!" Sam screamed. Dean pulled on his Dad's shirt.

"He won't sleep Daddy, not with Caleb here now, he is excited to see him, I will put him to bed later."

"Fine Dean, but if he starts to get cranky he is your responsibility." In Dean's childhood logic he looked up at his Dad with a confused look on his face.

"He is always my responsibility Daddy. " John snorted and went out the door towards the barn so he could fix whatever was wrong with the Impala. Mac sighed and bent down so he was Dean's height.

"Samuel isn't your responsibility Dean."

"Yes he is, he's my brother." Dean gave Mac a stubborn scowl and Mackland let the matter drop, the kid didn't understand that the things he did for Sam were the things John should be doing and at this point there was no changing that.

"I have to drop my stuff in my bedroom, wanna come up?"

"Sure, can you hold Sammy?"

"As long as you carry this bag for me." Caleb handed Dean the lighter of the two bags and picked up Sam and the other one. Dean still had to drag the bag up the stairs, but he did it with out complaint. Caleb put Sam down on the floor of his bedroom and tossed his bags on the bed. Dean went into his bedroom and came back with some paper and crayons, to keep Sam distracted. He scribbled on the paper making some kind of picture that only made sense to the mind of a toddler, and Dean took a seat next to Caleb's bags.

"How's school going Deuce?"

"Its going okay, I don't really like it that much."

"Why not?"

"I just don't like being away from Sammy, and my teacher is always trying to get me to talk and I don't want to."

"You never talk and school?"

"I barely like talking here, why would I talk to my teacher and a bunch of weirdo kids?" Caleb snorted,

"What makes them so weird? Their just kids like you." Dean's face had that haunted look on it.

"They are nothing like me." Dean whispered. Caleb sighed and sat down beside him.

"What do you mean?" Dean looked up at Caleb.

"The monsters in their closets aren't real… they can't hurt them."

"Dean… nothing is gonna hurt you… I won't let anything hurt you."

"I know, but I don't want to be around kids who don't understand that the monsters are real. I don't feel safe there."

"Do you go to your quiet place there a lot?" Dean shook his head.

"Never. I can't, it isn't safe." Caleb was sorry that Dean didn't feel safe at school, but at the same time Caleb felt better that he was spending less time in his quiet place.

"You know Deuce, I think that is the worst part about being apart of our lives, sitting in a room full of people and knowing they the world they live in is a lie. Most of them will probably never know the truth about the monsters in the dark. But you know something? After all the terrible things that have happened in our lives, something really amazing came out of it."

"What's so amazing about all this? Your parents are, my mom is gone, and my baby brother has no idea what he is missing. What's so great about all of this?" Caleb smiled down at the kid.

"We got each other out of this Deuce, I'd say that's pretty great. Look, we have lost so much, and I know that we can never replace what we lost, but I would say we got pretty lucky with the family we have know. Don't you think?" Dean smiled to himself as he looked at Sam sitting on the floor, at how happy the kid was, most of that happiness was thanks to people like Jim and Mackland who treated him like a son.

"Yeah Caleb, we are pretty lucky."

"Kids at school are never going to understand, but at the end of the day, you got all of us, okay?"

"Okay Caleb." Sammy walked over and pulled himself up on the bed.

"Laleb." Sam said, and handed the piece of paper in his hands over to Caleb. Caleb looked at the scribbles on the paper.

"Uhhhh… Thanks Sammy, did you draw this for me?" Sam nodded his head and smiled widely. "It's uhhh…. Great. I'm gonna put it up here on the wall." Dean laughed as Caleb put the picture on the wall above his desk. It seemed to make Sam happy though and that was all that mattered.

"How's it going up here boys?" John said leaning in the doorway with Mackland.

"Good. I was helping Caleb unpack, and Sammy drew him a picture." Dean pointing to the picture above the desk and Mackland smiled.

"That is quite a piece of art Samuel." Mackland said. John leaned down and picked Sam up in his arms.

"Good job Sammy." Sam looked at John and smiled.

"Daddy." Sam said. Everyone turned towards Sam and John and John looked utterly shocked. That was the first time Sam had called his father by anything.

"That's good Sammy, that is Daddy." Dean said. "Did I talk this much when I was Sammy's age?" John laughed.

"No you didn't buddy, Sam talks more then any baby I have ever known." Dean smiled.

"That's because he's smart."

"Yeah he is."

"Someday we are gonna be hoping for him to stop talking so much." Mackland said.

"Yeah, you won't be able to get either of shut up." Dean smiled and walked out of the room.

"Did he just say we won't be able to get him to shut up?" John asked.

"Yeah I think we did." Mackland said. Caleb smiled and looked at the two older men.

"I think we got Dean back guys, for good this time."

This is officially the end of this story but I was thinking of doing a sequel about when Sam first goes to Stanford and without him there Dean starts to withdraw back into himself again. What do you think? Would anybody be interested?


End file.
